This Couple Transformed Their Once-Flooded Bedroom With a P40,000 Budget

Real Living reader Helen Grace Yee Pineda's family home in Isabela was not spared from the wrath of Typhoon Ulysses, which hit the country last November 2020. 

"We were expecting na hanggang tuhod lang 'yung baha," she recalls. Unfortunately, Helen shares, "inabot na mga hanggang bewang 'yung baha kaya almost lahat ng gamit namin—[including] important documents—ay nabasa at nasira." 

Helen and her husband currently lives in her parents' home. Their bedroom, which also doubles as their work station, was covered in mud after the typhoon. 

IMAGE Courtesy of Helen Grace Yee Pineda

"Halos one month kami nag lilinis ng bahay," Helen recounts. Initially, the couple only thought of having their damaged cabinets fixed, but eventually, they ended up giving their entire bedroom a makeover! 

BEFORE 

 Here's a look inside Helen's bedroom before the typhoon: 

IMAGE Courtesy of Helen Grace Yee Pineda

AFTER 

Helen and her husband repainted their shelves and cabinets in white for a neater, brighter look. "We decided to go for light colors—'yung malamig lang sa mata—para when we see [the space] mare-relax kami." 

They also replaced the shelf that keeps their sleeping space and work station separated with a slim wooden shutter, which allows natural light to enter their workspace. 

"Because of the pandemic, my husband and I are obliged to work from home, so we decided to create a more comfortable space where we can get our work done," shares Helen, who works as a medical representative. 

IMAGE Courtesy of Helen Grace Yee Pineda

Maximizing vertical space, the couple added loads of floating shelves in their work station for extra storage. 

IMAGE Courtesy of Helen Grace Yee Pineda

They also installed a wooden, DIY-ed pegboard to keep their work essentials in place!

IMAGE Courtesy of Helen Grace Yee Pineda

"Since madami talaga ang gamit namin mag asawa, we used to have a lot of wooden cabinets and plastic drawers. But to maximize the space we have, we decided to build a big cabinet on one side of the room," shares Helen.  

IMAGE Courtesy of Helen Grace Yee Pineda

She adds, "halos lahat ng furniture sa kuwarto ay may storage din. 'Yung bedframe, may drawers. Tapos, 'yung head board, may storage din. We have also a bench in the office na may hidden storage!" 

In case you're wondering, the couple only spent around P40,000 for the room renovation "since 'yung ibang gamit, ni-restore lang namin."

IMAGE Courtesy of Helen Grace Yee Pineda

"Sobrang happy namin ng husband ko noong nakalipat na kami sa room. Since we only got married last December 2019, wala pa kami talagang bahay. Pero kahit papaano, we have a personal space."

"We always want to make our bedroom as relaxing and comfortable as possible," she adds. "I believe that a peaceful relationship starts with a clean environment."